MC

The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has published a judgment issued by the Criminal Court in Hail to impose penalties on a wholesale and retail food Establishment. The owner and the labor in charge found guilty of violating the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law, since they possess, store and offer expired foodstuffs, in addition to forging the date of expiry. Therefore, this is considered a kind of fraud and misleading, and this violation poses a risk on the health and safety of consumers.

MCI pointed out that as far as the labor in charge and the owner were found guilty, the competent court issued a sentence for 18 months imprisonment against the said labor, and a fine of SR 120,000 on the two convicts, besides publishing the sentence in two local newspapers at the expense of the two violators.

The details go back when MCI inspection teams monitored a food factory in Hail, involved in forging the validity dates of foodstuffs. Accordingly, all the items in violation were seized, confiscated and then destroyed, since they pose a risk on the safety and health of consumers. The case was referred to the Public Prosecution, which in turn referred it to the judicial authorities for taking the legal procedures against the violators.

MCI would like to confirm that it will continue addressing the violations of the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law, and it will not hesitate to impose stern measures against the violators who possess, store, offer or sell expired or counterfeit foodstuffs.

MCI calls on all consumers to lodge their complaints and reports through MCI Consumer Call Center (1900), or through the application of a Commercial Violation Report or through the Ministry's website.